How the Arizona Cardinals will get thousands of pounds of gear to Carolina

By Mike Sackley | January 22, 2016 at 3:05 pmUPDATED: January 22, 2016 at 3:09 pm

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PHOENIX — As Arizona Cardinals players get ready for their game against the Carolina Panthers, there’s plenty of equipment that’s being packed up for the journey.

Things like helmets, pads and shoes will be packed into heavy trunks, some weighing as much as 400 or 500 pounds.

The cold weather Sunday means there is even more gear — heavy jackets, knit hats, turtlenecks and long johns — to pack in the cargo hold of the team’s charter plane. Arizona Cardinals equipment manager Mark Ahlemeier, now in his 35th season with the team, said he and his staff have been packing up equipment all week.

“We’ve got a schedule that we go by day-by-day, packing stuff and checking to make sure we got everything,” he said.

Ahlemeier said certain items will be placed in the front of the plane and other items in the back for to balance the weight. He will get to work with his staff at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte soon after the team plane lands Saturday.

“We’re probably [at the stadium] two to two-and-a-half hours once we unload the truck,” he said.

The Cardinals equipment staff will be right back at it Sunday morning. They’ll arrive at the stadium about six to seven hours before game time Sunday, when they will lay out jerseys and pants as well as clean shoes if needed.

The Cardinals play the Panthers at 4:40 p.m. Arizona time on Sunday. Tune in to Arizona Sports 98.7 FM to hear the call.